How to store your old and new media

Note: Information provided below covers basic consumer questions. It does not provide in-depth
details on more stringent practices we would provide to our corporate clients with media archives.

First, some thoughts on the digital age....
Past generations of audiovisual media have had a unique, robust quality that have helped
enable its longevity. Decay of older media formats was slow and in most cases can be easily
detected. Damage to media most often meant repair or removal of the damaged portion, or just
playing through to the undamaged portion. Since old media formats were tangible objects,
they were not as easily lost or misplaced.

With the growing push to convert old analog media to digital formats and new digital-born
media created every day, the growth of digital media has been at a logarithmic pace. The
reasons are simple. Digital media is easier to transport, play, view and share. Technology has
put the ability to convert to and write to digital media, into the hands of almost any consumer
on any budget. To the average user, digital media has a host of advantages.

With these convenient benefits we must be mindful to the fragility of digital media. Quite often,
we "trust" in the common belief that once our media is digital, it will last forever. Actually,
quite the opposite is true. As technology advances, hard drives get bigger and less expensive
allowing for more data to be stored - and - lost in the blink of an eye. Files can be easily
overwritten, changed, reformatted or erased with a simple error of a mouse-click or intrusion of
a computer virus. Files are lost in cyberspace much easier than their tangible "hardcopy"
predecessors. Digital disk media varies greatly in quality and reliability from manufacturer to
manufacturer and can be easily scratched, cracked, improperly handled, mislabeled or stored,
rendering the entire disk (not just the damaged portion) unplayable. In this digital world, mold
is replaced with disk rot and invisible bit rot. Visible image fade in photos and film is now
replaced with non-apparent dye layer fade in recordable CD and DVD media. Audible
scratches in an audio disk or visible signal decline in videotape is replaced by both seen and
unseen digital data errors. Digital media decay often goes undetected until it is too late.

With the logarithmic increase in the amount of digital media content created each year,
we are presented with the possibility of loosing more media history in a short span of
years, than has been lost with the slow decay over the past 100+ years of media history
on more tangible, robust formats of the past. Proper planning, conversion, backup,
storage and migration are the keys to preserving digital media in this modern age.

How do I store my media until I'm ready to transfer it?
First, inspect your media collection. Some decay types should be addressed immediately and
cannot wait for conversion at a later date. Movie film, slide/transparency films and some
audiotape can take on "Vinegar Syndrome", most often identified by a faint to strong, vinegar
odor. Film, photos, slides, analog disk recordings, videotape and audiotape can all be
contaminated by fungus (mold/mildew) which can live on and slowly eat these types of media.
Videotape or audiotape has have a serious tape breakdown issues that result in the
information layer, known as the binder, flaking off the base. Old audiotape can also become
brittle and curled. Make the time to inspect your media for these serious breakdown and
contamination issues. If you find any of the above, call us immediately to have us examine
your media. Caution: Take care when handling media that is contaminated with fungus, mold
and mildew. Certain types can be very hazardous to your health.

Remove any media stored in an attic, garage or a floor below ground level (including a finished
basement). Above ground storage is best to void humidity and water damage. Store your
media where temperature and humidity swings are least. Media should be allowed to breathe.
Do not store your media in zip-lock bags, Tupperware tubs, metal film tins or other air-tight
containers. Keep magnetic media such as videotape, audiotape and magnetic stripped sound
movie film away from electronic devices such as TV's, stereo equipment, power outlets or
speakers. Videotape and audiotape should be stored upright, standing on end. Do not rewind
video or audiotape after use, keep it in the "tails out" position. Film and photographic materials
should be stored in a dark environment. Always wash your hands first to remove dirt and
grease before handling slides or photos. Photographs should not come in contact with acid
based paper or strong smelling clear plastic covers such as PVC, both found in many
inexpensive photo albums. If you own audio disk recordings, store them upright with support
on both ends so that they will not warp. Do not expose very old records to any liquid or
cleaning solutions, they can be damaged when they come in contact with liquid. If you would
like more information on proper storage conditions for a specific media, please contact us.

We very strongly urge you to take caution prior to playing any old media, especially on
a machine that has not been serviced and cleaned recently by a professional. Using an
old playback machine or playing media that is deteriorating can cause irreversible
damage and render your media unable to be transferred. We especially do not
recommend playing motion picture films, even if they appear to be in good condition.

How do I organize my media prior to transfer?
Have as much detail as possible noted on your media. Titles, dates, and subject matter of
each piece help us to organize your media transfer. Put your media in the order you want to
see it after transfer. Photos and slides should all be numbered in the order you want them
scanned prior to conversion. If you write on a photo, write on the back corner lightly using a
graphite pencil. If you are unsure of the date or subject matter of any of your media, it can
always be identified and ordered after transfer.

What are your suggestions for the best way to ship my media to you?
For items shipped inside the US, we only suggest UPS or Fed-Ex. We have had items
delayed or lost in the US Mail. We suggest standard overnight or two-day delivery. The less
time your package is spent in transit, the fewer things can happen. All items should be
enclosed in water resistant packaging such as Zip-lock bags to protect from moisture or
humidity. Provide plenty of cushioning for all media, and at least four inches between the
media and the outside of the box for any magnetic-striped sound movie film, audiotape or
videotape to help guard against outside magnetic fields. We discourage against packing
peanuts as they can build up and release a static charge during shipment. Make sure you get
a tracking number for your shipment. (for items shipped inside the US, we suggest checking
with your carrier first to insure there has not been recent modifications to any scanning
devices which could potentially harm magnetically recorded media. Items shipped from
outside the US require special shipping and handling steps not outlined in this brief summary)

What do I do with my old media after it is transferred?
We highly recommend keeping your original media for as long as possible. We are happy to
give you guidance on the proper storage conditions for your type(s) of original media. On very
rare occasions it becomes impractical for certain clients to store their original media. At the
very least, they continue to store the old media until they have had the chance to review the
new converted media to insure that everything has been transferred to their satisfaction and
ONLY if they have had a proper backup made and it is safely stored elsewhere.

After my material is transferred, how do I store my digital media?
Store any digital media disks (Audio CD, Video DVD or DVD Data) vertically in the cases we
provide. We highly recommend that you have us make a backup disk for each master disk
produced as a simple scratch can render disk media unplayable. If you request backup disk
media in envelopes, store them in proper archival cardboard or plastic media storage case.
Store backup media in a different physical location (structure) than the master. Store all digital
disk media away from direct sunlight and UV lights as UV rays break down the dye layers in
recordable digital media disks. Do not label your digital media disk with adhesive labels or
permanent markers. Both cause problems down the road. If you have to, any additional
labeling should be made with markers expressly made for this purpose. Take care in handling
your disk media. Never touch the underside where the data is read from. Avoid cleaning disk
media unless you know what you're doing and do not stress/flex the disk when removing it
from the case. Understand that the dye layers in all recordable disk media will fade over time.
That time is determined by the quality of the dye layers from the manufacturer and how well
you follow the care/storage recommendations above.

If you are storing your media in digital file format on computer hard drive, make sure to back
up these files to another drive or other type of storage media. Insure that the backup method
(and any disk maintenance software) does not compress or alter the original files. If your
redundant backup is another drive, it is best to power down the second drive and disconnect it
from your network when not in use. The second drive in a different physical location
(structure). Rotate the drives every 6-8 months. Insure that your network is safeguarded from
computer viruses. A UPS will help protect you from some power issues that can damage your
computer and backup drive, but it is not a safe-guard for a direct lightning strike or brown-out.
Avoid using "USB powered" drives. They can loose data if not "spun-up" regularly. Run a disk
check every several months to insure there are no bad sectors on your drive. Even one bad
sector is a signal to replace the drive shortly as more will soon follow. These are the basics to
proper drive backup and storage. It is always best to consult directly with us to review your
best options based on your individual needs and budget. As a side note, quite often we hear
clients state that they intend on storing their backup media in a fireproof safe. It is important
to note that a fireproof safe may protect from fire, but not from heat. Heat can destroy digital
media disks and most drives just as fast as the actual fire. For this reason we do not
recommend a safe for storing your backup media.

How long will my digital media last?
Since recordable disk media has only been around since the mid 1990's, no-one knows for
sure! Experts and manufacturers all have different opinions. Much will depend on how you
label, store and handle your disk media. It's also important to insure that the disk media is
manufactured by a reliable source. These days, a well known brand name may not really be
so reliable. Even the well-known manufacturers can subcontract out disk production. Fake
disks or rip-offs are commonly imported from China and distributed by large national chains
without knowing the media is counterfeit. Without special programs made to find the true
manufacturing source, even professional conversion companies quite often use disks that are
inferior. In general, when using a disk that is produced by our company with proper storage
and handling conditions as outlined above, CD-R disks have a conservative estimated lifespan
of 5+ years and DVD-R media 15+ years. As outlined above, a backup disk is essential. As
an extra safety measure, we use a different manufacturer for the backup disk, than was used
for the original. Very conservative consumer clients will elect to have either a new redundant
disk backup made every six to eight years and rotate the oldest backup out or store the same
files on a different storage medium such as computer hard drive. Corporate client needs will be
more stringent and vary widely. Each media library should be assessed and addressed on an
individual, case by case basis.

Media Transfer Service, LLC. Rochester, NY . Phone: 585-248-4908 . Email: mtsinfo@rochester.rr.com